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Civil Rights icon and Houstonian Dr. Virgil Wood, who worked with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., dies at 93
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Civil Rights activist Reverend Dr. Virgil Wood, who worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has died, ABC13 learned Monday.
Wood was one of the last lieutenants of King, working with him in Michigan. He also served as a member of the National Executive Board of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, or SCLC, for the last decade of King’s life and helped to raise money for the cause.
The video above is from a 2019 interview with Houston-area leaders who knew Dr. King.
ABC13’s Melanie Lawson interviewed Wood in 2019 as Houstonians who knew King reflected on the revered leader’s life.
Wood explained how he was a young pastor in Virginia when he first met King.
He knew the brilliant leader and charismatic public speaker, but he also knew the private man.
“He was a fun-loving guy. I mean, he loved his ham hocks and food, smoking, he was a chain smoker,” Wood laughed. “The good joke, he always had a joke to tell.”
Wood, a native of Charlottesville, Virginia, was ordained in his late teens.
He moved to the Houston area after retiring from his pastoral duties in Providence, Rhode Island.
According to a 2007 Houston Chronicle article, Wood spoke to students at Austin High School for years as well as appeared at numerous churches.
Wood was 93.
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It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Dr. Virgil Wood, a Civil Rights icon and Houstonian who dedicated his life to the fight for justice and equality. Dr. Wood, who worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., passed away at the age of 93.
Dr. Wood was a tireless advocate for civil rights, working alongside Dr. King in the 1960s to bring about social change and racial equality. He played a pivotal role in organizing marches, protests, and voter registration drives, and was instrumental in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
In addition to his work in the Civil Rights movement, Dr. Wood was also a respected educator and minister. He served as a professor at various universities and seminaries, and was a beloved pastor in the Houston community.
Dr. Wood’s legacy will live on in the countless lives he touched and the progress he helped to achieve. He will be remembered as a true champion of justice and a beacon of hope for future generations.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Dr. Wood’s family and loved ones during this difficult time. May his memory be a blessing and may his work continue to inspire us all to strive for a more just and equitable society.
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